A Quiet Week-End

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 881, 27 January 1930, Page 9

A Quiet Week-End

DELEGATES READY FOR BIG WEEK Naval Discussions Progress SATISFACTORY HEADWAY MADE Bi’itish Official TFirclcss Received Noon. RUGBY, Sunday. ALTHOUGH today has produced no news of Naval Conference developments, the delegates have not necessarily been idle. The week-end has enabled them to give consideration in comparative leisure to the conversation and informal exchanges they have had among themselves during the past few days, and to adjust their views accordingly. The delegation chiefs meet at No. 10 Downing Street tomorrow morning.

Much importance is attached by all delegations to the work of organising the sequence of the problems with which the conference has to deal, and it is generally felt that the time devoted to evolving a sound agenda is not wasted, since it may well save much labour later on. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, today entertained the Dominion delegates at his official country residence, the Chequers, and was visited during the afternoon by Mr. H. L. Stimson, United States. Some of the members of the other delegations were in contact during the day. Although the experts continued their consultations, there was today a lull in the formal and informal conversations. Mr. H. L. Stimson had arranged to spend the day golfing. Some of the French delegates have gone to Belfast to see the international Rugby match. Members of the other delegations have social engagements. It is likely, however, that when the heads of the delegations met at Downing Street on Monday it will be found that further progress has been made. RESULTS ENCOURAGING Mr. Stimson regards the advance made since the conference opened as very inspiring and encouraging, and yesterday’s British communique declared that the experts’ report showed encouraging results. While expressing the hope that the preliminary work will not be unduly prolonged, the report emphasises the importance of having the ground carefully prepared so that the best way of setting about the work of the conference may be decided in advance. In furtherance of the view held by all delegations that the different problems should at the outset be brought under the active consideration of the interested sections to assess, and if possible narrow down the margins of difference, there were many informal talks yesterday. The Italians, for example, met the British delegates in the morning, and the Americans in the afternoon, and at night M. Tardieu, France, and Signor Grandi, consulted together. MR. FENTON’S BATH Mr. J. E. Fenton, Australian delegate to the conference, has taken up quarters at the Waldorf Hotel because in his first hotel the bathroom door was always locked. “I was unable to have a bath,” he says, “till the servant opened the door. When I protested I was informed that the bath hotel practice was unalterable.” He now has a private bathroom, which is always unlocked.

“KEEP OFF THESE RUMOURS”

LONDON JOURNALS WARNED REPORTS DISCREDITED Reed. 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. St. James’s Palace has already become as fruitful as Geneva for alarums. Excursions have been made into the realm of guesswork to such

ARMAMENT BURDEN

an extent that a British spokesman has enjoined journalists “to keep off these rumours.”

This had a special reference to the usually sober London journals, which asserted that France is about to challenge the whole ratio basis and seek an Increase of her tonnage, and flatly reject any parity with Italy. The last point contains only a germ of truth. For the rest the spokesman assured journalists there was no reason to suggest that France or anybody else was not playing the straight game, and honestly attempting to get something done. The spokesman was similarly emphatic in discrediting a story of discontent among the British Commonwealth delegates.

PLEA FOR REDUCTION NEW YORK, Saturday. The Washington correspondent of the “New York World” telegraphs an authorised interview with the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. A. W. Mellon, who made a strong plea for the furtherance of a reduction of naval armaments. Mr. Mellon reviewed what he called the surprising recovery from the Great War of the entire world. He said it was an augury of hope that in the decade just opening the world was concerned primarily with the efforts being made in London to make peace more sure. “War is still responsible for the greater part of our expenditure,” said Mr. Mellon. “It Is in the light of these facts that we must give our whole-hearted support to all intelligent and honest efforts to reduce the heavy burden of armaments to the lowest point, consistent with safety and the peace of the world.” Asked if he were satisfied with the progress of the United States and other countries since the war, Mr. Mellon replied that “satisfied” was hardly the word to use in that connection. He was never satisfied, no matter how great the progress had been. However, he thought the worst pessimist would agree that the conditions of the world at large were more stable and that the average man’s chances had been Improved by that fact.